DISARMAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1932, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

BRITISH) POLICY IN RELATION TO GERMANY. (United Press Association—By F.eetric ’ Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, November 10. Regarding • disarmament, Mr MacDonald’s reply to France means that the differences of opinion among the Ministers have been overcome, and the British plan of disarmament settled, but the details will not be disclosed in the House of Commons. The Ministerial statements will be on. broad lines only. Sir J. Simon made special reference to the German claim to equality status. He said that in dealing with the German claim to equality rights in arrrnaments, it was necessary to insist that the main purpose of disarmament was to ensure lasting peace. The limitations contained in Part Five of the Treaty of Versailles, were imposed as a means of Securing in the circumstances then prevailng, the peace of Europe. The acknowledgment of the others of Germany’s moral right to parity treatment with other nations, entailed upon Germany, along with the others, the acceptance with this corresponding obligation. On the assumption that such assurance is given, the British Government considered that the German claims to ©quality rights should be fully met in the following manner:— Firstly limitation of Germany’s armaments should be contained in the same Disarmament, convention as that which will define the. limitations of armaments of others; that’is to say, the articles in Part Five of the Treaty of Versailles, which at present limit Germany’s arms and armed forces, would be superseded, and German limitations be arrived at by the same decument, as those of (all other countries.

Secondly: The newly expressed limitations in the, cage of Germany would last for the same period of revision as those- of all other countries.

Thirdly: Germany has declared tWat she has no intention of re-arming; that she merely desires the principle should be acknowledged that the kinds of arms permitted to other countries ought not to be prohibited to herself. If equality status is to be conceded this principle must he acknowledged. The United- Kingdom Government hereby declares a willingness in cooperation with other members of the Disarmament Conference ,to fie <? it is embodied in the Convention. By what means and at ivhat stage this principle can be -applied, must be the subject of detailed discussion at Geneva, in which it is essential that Germany should join. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Government wish to emphasise two points: Firstly, the object of the Disarmament Conference is to bring about the maximum positive disarmament that can be generally agreed, and not to authorise, in the name of equality, an increase in armed strength; secondly, the full realisation in practice of the principle of equality cannot he achieved all at once. Confidence in further applications of the principle will grow as it is seen that the peace of the world has been made more secure by taking the first step. The United Kingdom Government, therefore, conceive that what is needed is a. practical programme of stages, each subsequent step being justified and prepared for by the proved consequences of what has gone before. Similar ..principles should be applied and similar methods adopted, for arriving at and expressing the limitations which will apply to the armaments of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria.

Sir Austin Chamberlain, as partauthor of the Anglo-Japfinese Alliance appealed to Japan’s statement to give fair and candid cansideration to the Lytton 'Commission’s report on Manchuria, and make it easy for Japan’s old friends to continue their admiration of the Island Empire.

DISARMAMENT NOT SUFFICIENT. CAUSES MUST BE REFUSED. LONDON, November 10. In the House of Commons, Mr S. Baldwin closing the debate, said that disarmament alone would not stop war. The highest duty of statesmanship wi’is to remove the causes of war. What it was hoped to do by disarming was, to make it more difficult to start war. The world was suffering from fear and from a want of confidence. The greatest fear among the ordinary people of all nations was the fear of the air. It was well for the m-an-in-the-street to understand that there was no power to protect him from :air bombing. The only defence in aerial warfare was to kill more people than the enemy. The people in many parts of the Continent were being educated in the methods of seeking protection from aerial gas 'attacks. It could not be pretended that Britain also had not made Investig'’tions. Aerial war ft re "-ns htill in its infancy. Its potentialities were irfealeulnl le and inconceivable.

Mr Baldwin added : “T do not think that we have seen the Tst cr v Cnt war, but Jdo r-t think that it w : ll come just yet. F"w of ns will see it. But, eur young men will have to fight it! They must decide. The air instrument is in their hands, but some instruments mankind is resolved not to use. As least three of the inventions